I recently gave a sermon on Mark 8:22-26
in the Scripture just before that - Jesus rebukes very sternly His disciples for not understanding - He is cut to the heart by their blindness since they are the ones closest to Him
He teaches them about short-sightedness by the blind man - healing Him twice - the first healing (with remnants of the misty-clay moulding in Genesis) shows a myopic man - the man that is not intimate with Jesus - He cannot see His face
The 2nd healing - by coming to Jesus again, and receiving the Holy Spirit (hands) to enlighten Him to the knowledge of Christ - He sees Jesus clearly
The lesson
- the disciples see only to their stomachs
- the villagers to the earthly kingdom
- Peter to the earthly Messiah
Jesus's response to them - BE SILENT
Anyone who preaches a gospel that is not beyond the cross needs to be silent - whatever the context
The gospel is always through death - through the cross - the kingdom of heaven - anyone who lives a life not of the cross - go home.
Any ministry from any Christian must be heavenly, cross-based and eternal.
Earthly Christian 'gospels' are the most damaging thing on the planet to the real gospel - they have tremendous adverse effects... so much so that it is even better not to say anything at all!
The way we live also displays short-sightedness (cf. 2 Pet 1) - when we have a full view of Jesus from Jesus, we live like Jesus - otherwise we might as well be blind
and are certainly of no use to anyone else...
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